Yeah, I feel like the cheap tools aren’t worth what you pay for them. Not everyone needs the finest quality tools, but there’s a certain minimum level of quality below which a low price is not as good a value as it seems. I’ve listed some brands that I like, but generally speaking price point is a decent indicator of quality. Even within a given brand (at least the big names), they’ll have different lines at varying quality and price. Some things to look for:
- handles should be replaceable or at least durable
- hoes, trowels, and shovels should come sharp or at least be easy to sharpen
- on wooden handles, the grain should be oriented so that it’s parallel to the direction you swing/pry/pull the tool in. Otherwise the wood will break prematurely. (edit: I like wooden handles, but fiberglass is also a good choice. See discussion below for pros and cons).
How to Replace a Tool's Wooden Handle - tool heads should be made with a good quality steel (different kinds have different merits, but good steel will last longer in general)
- in addition to good quality steels, look for forged over welded/stamped construction. The forging process changes the structure of the metal making it much more durable, and any joints are going to much sturdier. There are exceptions, but this is a good rule of thumb. If you’re buying forged, it’s a pretty good bet the steel is at least decent.
I really like Red Pig Tools, particularly their hand hoes:
https://www.redpigtools.com/
For trowels, I was recently turned on to these simple but incredibly sturdy ones from Wilcox. Mine came properly sharp out of the box!
Rogue tools makes some of the sturdiest, most effective hoes around. I especially like the 575G:
Wolfgarten is also pretty good for rakes, hoes, and cultivators. Their specialty is a system of interchangeable heads and handles if that’s more your style.
Lots of good threads on other categories of hand tools: